Before git (and DVCS in general) every company had a source control manager. You could get a degree (and presumably still can) in revision control theory. This was necessary then because a developer couldn't completely grock it and get real development done at the same time. Today I don't know if any git shops that have a full-time source control manager.

So, if the worst thing about this generation of source control systems is an unflattering UI... I think we have awhile until the next generation takes over.